Theory for the Dynamics of Polymer Grafted Nanoparticle in Solution

Abstract

We develop a theory for the dynamics of polymer grafted nanoparticle (PGNP) in dilute solution. A formalism of multiscale generalized Gaussian structure (mGGS) is developed where multiscale nature is described as variable size of monomers connected to each other through harmonic springs with different spring constants. This formalism allows to study various dynamic properties of polymer chains or networks grafted nanoparticles at arbitrary positions. We analyze three dynamic properties of PGNP, viz. (i) the mean displacement of a specified monomer of the polymer chain and its time evolution under external (unit step) forces, (ii) loss and storage moduli, and (iii) intrinsic viscosity. The study highlights the unfolding dynamics of a polymer chain with different sizes of nanoparticles and shows that the chain dynamics depends on the position of applied step force in PGNP. Similarly, the elastic moduli and the intrinsic viscosity reflects the viscoelastic properties of PGNP. The storage and the loss moduli ...